Price for Field Usage Starts at $45 Per Hour

Local non-profit organizations might only have to pay a small fee to use athletic fields and school facilities, thanks to the Board of Education adopting a revised fee schedule Thursday night.

Organizations holding a class-2 permit will only pay a $45 an hour to use facilities on days when school isn’t in session or if an event occurs when custodians are not normally on duty. A two-hour minimum is required.

Class-2 permit holders will not be charged to use a facility when events occur during the custodial staff’s normal working hours.

The board has the right to assess fees for damages incurred or if heavy clean up is required after an event takes place.

Class 2 organizations include the Wayne Police Athletic League (PAL), , Soccer Club, , and the little league.

The custodial schedule for the district’s various facilities could not be obtained.

Superintendent Ray Gonzalez said in May that district officials would to continue to have “mutually beneficial and creative partnerships.”

The organizations came together and formed the Wayne Sports Coalition before negotiating with the district.

“We pretty much decided that we would go in there as one voice because it wouldn’t be fair if we just went in their on our own and get what’s best for us,” said Steve Schiffman, director of operations and facilities of the PAL. “Sensible heads came together and negotiated the new fee structure.”

Schiffman said people from the PAL and other organizations regularly cleaned up and repaired the athletic fields after they used them.

“There were a lot of things that were occurring and after we sat down with them, we had a discussion and we reconsidered,” said Board President Donald Pavlak Jr. “We’re here to work with everybody. We’re a part of the community.”

Schiffman said district administrators were “very open minded and very cooperative” during the negotiations.

Under the previous fee schedule, the board approved in April, the organizations would have needed to pay between $125 and $500 to use the athletic fields. The fee schedule was first adopted in 2009. It has been revised several times since then.

Representatives from the organizations and residents to protest the new schedule.

Class 3 organizations, which the schedule defines as “groups outside the community,” political rallies or caucuses, and “for profit” groups and individuals, will have to pay between $75 and $350 to use the facilities.

Fee prices are based on four hours of usage. Additional time will be pro-rated at the same rate.

Class 1 organizations, which include extra-curricular and co-curricular school clubs, athletic teams, and the parent teacher organization, will not be charged rental or custodial fees to use facilities.

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